THE SPIDER MONKEY. 



159 



river, by hanging to each other in a long line, 

 and swinging themselves back and forth until 

 the lower one is able to grasp a tree on the other 

 side, and thus forming a bridge for the rest to 

 pass over, has been affirmed and denied till it is 

 difficult to decide whether true or not ; it cer- 

 tainly shows no more intelligence than many 

 actions of the spider monkeys. 



It may easily be seen, that to catch a coaita 

 in his native forest is a hopeless task. With 

 four hands and a tail to seize the branches and 

 liana stems among which he lives, and with 

 power to swing his light body five yards at each 

 throw, as Dr. Oswald says, neither man or beast 

 can follow him. The spider monkey, says the 

 writer just quoted, " is nimble to a degree which 

 makes one smile at the readiness with which 

 that word is applied to such creatures as rats 

 and raccoons." Nimble as he may be, however, 

 strongly as his tail may hold, and many as are 

 the devices by which this animal protects him- 

 self against his enemies, he cannot escape the 

 worst of them, — man. The jaguar seeks his 

 body to eat ; the large black and white eagle is 

 said also to prey upon him ; but man has more 

 wishes than merely to satisfy his hunger. 



Not only is the unfortunate coaita possessed 

 of savory meat upon his bones, but his skin is 

 valuable, and, above all, he is in great demand 



